How to import tags to pse 2018

[EvaMI]

I have pse 8 on my desktop. I exported my tags as xml file. I cannot find a way to import the file in pse 2018. The help has tutorials on how to use tags but not how to import them.

Thanks.

[MichelBParis]

EvaMI  wrote

I have pse 8 on my desktop. I exported my tags as xml file. I cannot find a way to import the file in pse 2018. The help has tutorials on how to use tags but not how to import them.

Thanks.

Where are the tags (keywords)?

- by default, only in your catalog. To recover your tags and all your organization (albums, stacks, version sets, captions, notes, creations...) you have to move your catalog together with your media files.

Move Elements Organizer catalog

If you move or copy your catalog as well as your pictures without that process, the links in the catalog still point to the old location and all files are 'disconnected'.

- you can 'write metadata to files' to make tags available by 'importing' again. In that case, you recover keywords and captions, but not albums, version sets and tags, notes, creations... and you lose your keyword hierarchy. Not a good solution.

What you have done is to export the hierarchy of keywords description, not the tags themselves (analogy: you have restored the drawers, not their content).

The same menu which allows saving the hierarchy enables restoring it from the xml file.

[EvaMI]

I don't quite understand. My laptop has its own catalog. It is independent totally from the catalog on my desktop. I want to be able to import photos that I take on a trip to the laptop. I will use the editor on the laptop to make whatever corrections need to be made. Before exporting to a location on the desktop with a USB drive I want to be able to assign a tag.  The tags list on my desktop is fairly complex. For example, under the name "Ferns" there are separate genus tags and below those are species and sub species tags. Without having that list on the organizer on my laptop, I will  have a hard time assigning the proper tag.

Once the photo is finished complete with tags I will export it and import to my desktop. My laptop is a half-way station, a place to do temporary work. Having the "drawer" that you mention should let me assign the proper tag?

On my previous laptop which died a few months ago, I had PSE 8 on the laptop as I do on the desktop now. It, too, was used as temporary place to work on photos. But I was able to import the list of tags  which I don't seem to be able to do in the new version of PSE. None of the + signs on the tags panel lead to an import choice.

You have been extreme help to me before. I'm glad we meet again.

Eva

[MichelBParis]

Eva,

I'll suggest first three different workflows for the frequent situation you are having now, which is:

How to work on a laptop while travelling and keeping the new photos and new edits and tagging synced with the desktop?

1 - (Generally preferred solution) Keep both your master image folder as well as the catalog folder on an external USB drive.

2 - Use the backup/restore solution to copy everything from your desktop to the laptop before starting the travel. Do the reverse operation when you get back home.

Move Elements Organizer catalog

3 - If you want to work independently on the laptop, you'll have to find a way to reimport the new files in the desktop and to recover changed edits and tagging.

The last solution can be acceptable

- if you always "write metadata to files" before importing

- you manage new or edited files so that you can select them easily for importing

- you get the tags hierarchy 'in sync' between desktop and laptop via updating with the xml 'drawers' text files.

Any way, you should avoid this solution which can't restore albums, stacks, version sets, creations.

I happen to use it sometimes, with two problems for me. First, with the laptop, I mainly organize and tag. I avoid editing because I don't trust the non-calibrated laptop display. I shoot mostly raw and create final jpeg version sets. The version sets are not recognized when importing, I have to manually stack raws+jpegs.

Solution 2 is totally safe and foolproof, especially if you have two external drives, one for the library and catalog, the other for the backups. It's ideal before an important travel project.

Solution 1 is preferred because it is very flexible if you have frequent opportunities to work outside with your laptop. It is safe because you start by moving the media files library and catalog via a backup. There also, you can work with two external USB drives, one used for the backup.

Depending on your situation and preferences you may need more details. Don't hesitate to ask.

[EvaMI]

I think there might be problems with options 1 and 2 since I use PSE 8 on my desktop and PSE 2018 on my laptop. But, in any event, option 3 is best for me. The laptop is used for temporary work. I can load the photos, keep the best and discard the others. I can work on the good ones and then put them on a USB drive to import to the desktop when I get home.

I did discover, quite by accident how to get the list of tags into PSE 2018. The problem with PSE 2018 and my 13 inch laptop is the size of the fonts. There is no option to increase the size and I have to hold the screen right up to my face to read menus. Holding to my face I saw that the green plus icon on the tags panel had an arrow next to it. Clicking that I saw the import tags. I did that and they were imported! So now I can assign tags to my photos being careful to "write keyword tags and properties into photos."

Once the photos are back on my desktop storage I can still make adjustments. You mentioned color.  I have noticed that the colors on my laptop are a bit more on the blue side than my desktop monitor.

Thanks for your help.

Eva

[MichelBParis]

Eva,

I suppose you don't use PSE2018 on your desktop because it is not a 64 bits computer? You are right that solutions 1 and 2 require the same PSE version. PSE2018 can convert PSE8 catalogs, not the other way round.

About the size of fonts on the laptop:

- editor: are you using the 200% size option? It should be automatic depending on the pixels dimension of the display.

- organizer: use the display options in Windows to choose one of its options, 125%, 150%...

[EvaMI]

My desktop is Windows 7 64 bit. The reason I keep PSE 8 on the desktop is because there are some features I can't find in PSE 2018. I often share slideshows with family and friends. I use the PDF format in PSE 8 which has been well received by the recipients. It's simple and works on all computers, cellphones, and tablets even very old ones. Being deaf, I don't add audio to a slideshow. This option is no longer available in the 2018 version. A very simple tool, enhance|color variations is no longer available. In PSE 8 I have an imagenomic plugin called noiseware standard that I purchased. It will not work in PSE 2018. I would need to purchase a new version. I don't use it often enough to spend what seems like a lot of money for it. If I need it I can go back to my PSE 8. I know, there is a noise reduction tool in PSE  2018 but it is not as helpful. There are other features that I'm used to in PSE 8 that are probably in the 2018 version but I haven't figured out where they are and how to use them yet. It all takes time.  And then I worry I will be stuck with those tiny fonts. I can't bring my desktop monitor up to my face . The PSE help web page is a joke. Ask a question and you get videos that have nothing to do with your problem. Thankfully, the wonderful people on this forum do Adobe's work for them.

Now back to the fonts. I have Windows 10 on the laptop. I checked the settings for display. The resolution for the images is 1920 X 1080. The highest scale and layout available is 175% which is what it's set at. I can't find a 200%  option or any font size option in the PSE editor preferences.

Eva

[MichelBParis]

Eva,

A few tips:

- You are allowed to install PSE8 and PSE2018 on both computers

- Having both versions on both computers is probably a good choice, especially to create your pdf slideshows

A very simple tool, enhance|color variations is no longer available. In PSE 8 I have an imagenomic plugin called noiseware standard that I purchased. It will not work in PSE 2018. I would need to purchase a new version. I don't use it often enough to spend what seems like a lot of money for it. If I need it I can go back to my PSE 8. I know, there is a noise reduction tool in PSE  2018 but it is not as helpful.

I have dropped external reduction tools. I am happy with the tool in the editor, but my best tool is... in the ACR module which I use for jpegs as well as raws.

A very simple tool, enhance|color variations is no longer available.

You have got a similar approach in the Quick edit mode or the Instant Fix of the organizer.

And then I worry I will be stuck with those tiny fonts. I can't bring my desktop monitor up to my face

The 1920 x 1080 resolution is standard and adequate for desktop displays from 22 to 27". For a laptop, even with a 17" display it will be problematic. The 200% scaling has been introduced to work with 4k displays (3840 x 20160). The automatic setting will not consider your display as 4k or HiDpi and won't apply the 200% scaling which is necessary for the editor.

Menu Edit >> Preferences >> displays and cursors, bottom panel "high density displays".

Test it, but that may be too big and hide part of the menus and tool panels...

You can also use the Windows display settings, not only for fonts, but to choose a lower resolution like 1440 x 900.

The organizer ignores the 200% setting of the editor as you have seen.

Edit:

Unfortunately, I have just tested that 200% is too much for a  1920 x 1080 display. The fonts are too big and the tool panel is truncated. Setting a lower resolution is possible (with less crisp fonts).

[EvaMI]

I, too, tried the 200% and found the tool panel truncated. i also tried the 1440 X 900 resolution but didn't see any difference, perhaps because it only allowed 150% scaling.

Fortunately, the laptop is small enough to bring close to my face And PSE 8 is fine on my desktop.

Thanks.

Eva